Cutting galvanised steel tube

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:44:52 +0100, Andy Hall had this to say:

I would use a power hacksaw.

Then again, I have ready access to one!

You need one of these

Perhaps you could take your own advice and hire one.

If you have an angle grinder, stands to do right angle cuts are pretty cheap. A metal cutting disc should do it.

The message from Andy Hall contains these words:

If you're near me you can come use my cutoff saw. I'm in Telford.

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:06:48 +0100, Mark wrote (in article ):

Without stuffing this lot into the browser, I guess you mean the Sealey power hacksaw at the princely sum of £615

Good thought, I'll take a look. I don't particularly want to acquire a lumbering great machine for metalworking in general.

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:01:11 +0100, Frank Erskine wrote (in article ):

Didn't know they existed. Looks eminently sensible.

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:09:15 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote (in article ):

Any idea from where for a stand, Dave?

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:15:23 +0100, Guy King wrote (in article ):

Thank you for the kind thought. Bit far, though....

The message from Andy Hall contains these words:

Lidl had 'em a couple of weeks ago. Depending on how accurate you need to be - if it's just going into clamps then probably not spot on, then a hacksaw will get you through 30 tubes in about 30 minutes.

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:47:27 +0100, Guy King wrote (in article ):

It's for a structure involving Tubeclamps so I don't think that perfection is required. If I can get through a tube in about a minute or even two, it would be quicker than renting a saw. If it were 10 mins per cut, then that's another thing

Hmmm! do you have a cross pull saw or similair?

Put a grinder wheel on it and hey presto 30 cut bars in minutes.

On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:52:56 +0100, The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote (in article ):

Yes I do, but it's a woodworking one used for fairly precise work.

Interesting thought. I guess that the guard arrangements are different as well

Oh if you are buying entirely on price, here is a cheap, small, quiet one.

Pick up a cheap model and use it for cutting disc,grinding disc,thats what I've done with this Taiwan effort.

angle grinder with steel cutting wheel will waltz through those. Not the tidiest cut though.

Talking of which, has anyone tried those new diamond cutting blades for angle grinders that claim they can cut metal as well as masonry?

I wondered what the cut quality and speed is like in metal, and also how well the blades stand up.

On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:53:52 +0100, John Rumm wrote (in article ):

Thank you John.

This looks like a reasonable solution.

Of course it creates the next quandary. I only have a 125mm angle grinder at present. I suspect that that would not cut completely through a tube of

So outlay for large stand = £30, 230mm angle grinder (say Bosch) at £86 - total £116. OTOH, I do get a bigger angle grinder that can be used for other things. OTOOH, I don't have much other need for a large angle grinder

Entry level cutoff saw seems to be £100 or £117 for apparently better (Jet) one from Axminster. Trouble is that it's physically quite large (needs to be stored) and I can't think of many other applications where I want to cut length of metal..

Rental prices on bench cut off saws seem to vary between £35 and £45, but not clear whether this includes the disc, whether there's a deductable for use or whether one has to buy their discs at some inflated price.

Then there's the hacksaw :-)

The message from Andy Hall contains these words:

Get some 18TPI bimtal blades and you'll romp through it.